By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
THE Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) said the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) needs to concentrate on creating quality jobs instead of allocating significant resources to a relief program for temporarily displaced workers.
In a statement, KMU Secretary-General Jerome M. Adonis said the P14-billion proposed budget in 2025 for the displaced-worker program, known as TUPAD (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers), indicates a misplaced focus on low-quality work.
“Instead of funding job creation, the DoLE chose to pour its funds into TUPAD, which merely offers temporary employment… TUPAD will not fulfill the basic needs of workers. What we need are regular and long-term jobs,” he said.
During DoLE’s budget hearing on Wednesday at the House of Representatives, Labor Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma said TUPAD funding took a hit after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) granted it only P45 billion in 2025 funding, as against its proposed P80 billion.
TUPAD is a community-based safety net initiative that provides temporary employment to workers in the informal sector. It was initiated to provide relief to workers who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic.
Last year, TUPAD provided emergency employment to over 3 million people. In the half of 2024, it has tallied over a million beneficiaries.
Next year, it aims to help almost 1.5 million.
Mr. Adonis cited the need to fund programs that will improve labor conditions, ensure a living wage, and uphold fundamental labor rights.
The DBM listed DoLE in its bottom 10 government agencies in terms of spending performance in the first half of 2024.
During the budget hearing on Wednesday, DoLE said it had to deal with requests to realign TUPAD funds to the Government Internship Program, creating uncertainty on where to direct funding.
According to DoLE’s action plan detailing its strategy for improving spending performance, it said program implementation peaks during the second and third quarters, which will increase the payment of TUPAD wages and procure raw materials, tools, and equipment for the DoLE Integrated Livelihood Program.
Federation of Free Workers President Jose G. Matula told BusinessWorld via Viber that labor education projects also require funding.
“Labor education is an investment in the workforce. By funding programs that teach workers about their rights, the government is not only protecting them but also promoting productivity and stability in the labor market,” he said, adding that well-informed workers are key to a resilient and competitive economy.
